The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-08-18
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
The Shepherds with Their Flocks
at the Earthly Well
World Athirst at the Well OF tho
Gospel-Christ the Shepherd Who
VIII Tenderly Minister to Those
Who Ask the Water Of Life.

The Brooklyn preacher again discoursed
1T 1.-THE Hamptons," taking for his topic
"Christ, the Shepherd" His text was:
We can not, until all the focks be gathered
together, and till they roll the stone from tho
wells mouth; then we water the sheep
Genesis, xix, 8.
A scene in Mesopotamia, beautifully
pastoral A well of water of great value
in that region. The fields around about it
white with three focks Of sheep living
down waiting for the watering. linear
their bleating coming on the bright air
and the laughter of young men and
maidens INDUCING in rustic repartee. l
look of and l see other locks Of sheep
coming. Meanwhile, Jacob, stranger,
OF the interesting errand looking for
wife, comes to the well. A beautiful
comes to the same WELL /
see her approaching followed by her
fathers flock of sheep. It was memoir
able meeting. Jacob married that shep-
erdess. The Bible account of it is:
Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice
ana wept.
1t has always been a mystery to me
what he found to cry aboutl But before
that scene occurred, Jacob accosts the
shepherds and asks them why they post
pone the shaking Of the thirst of these
sheep, and why they did not Immediately
proceed to water them. The shepherds
reply to the effect:
s'We are all good neighbors, and as
matter of courtesy we wait until all the
sheep Of the neighborhood come up. Be-
sides that, this stone on the wells mouth
il somewhat heavy, and several of US
take hold of it and push it aside, and then
the buckets and the troughs are filled,
and the sheep are satisfied. We can not,
until all the frocks are gathered together,
and till we roll the stone from the wells
mouth; then we water the sheep"
Oh, this is thirsty worldl Hot for the
head, and blistering for the feet, and
parching for the tongue. The worlds
great want is cool, refreshing, satisfy
ing draught. We wander around and we
find the cistern empty. Long and
tedious drought has dried up the worlds
fountains, but nearly nineteen GEN.
turies ago, Shepherd, with a crook in
the shape Of a cross, and feet cut to the
bleeding, explored the desert passages of
this world, and one day came across a
well a thousand feet deep, bubbling and
bright, and opales cent, and looked to the
north, and the south, and the east, and the
west, and cried out with voice strong
and musical that rang through the ages.
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come We to the
wateri
Now great flock Of sheep to-day gather
around this gospel we'll. There are a
great many thirsty souls. l wonder why
the fiocks of all nations do not gather
why so many stay thirsty, and while I
am wondering about it, my text breaks
IN ha D1op
We can not, until all the flocks be gathered
together, and till they roll the stone from the
wells mouth; then we water the sheep.
If herd of swine come to well they
angrlly jostle each other for the prece-
dence; if drove of cattle come to a
well, they hook each other back from the
water, but when flock of sheep come,
though hundred of them shall be disap-
pointed, they only express it by sad
bleatings; they come together peace
fully. We want a great multitude to
come around the gospel well.
Q crowd-they think a crowd is vulgar.
1t makes them positively impatient and
belligerent. We have had people perma-
nently leave our church because so many
other people come to it. Not so did these
oriental shepherds. They waited until
all the focks were gathered, and the more
flocks that came the better they liked it.
And 90 we ought to be anxious that all
the people should come. Go out into the
highways and hedges and compel them te
come in. Go to the rich and tell them that
they are INDECENT without the Gospel OF
Jesus. 60 to the poor and tell them the
afluence there is in Christ. Go to the
blind and tell them Of the touch that gives
eternal illumination. Go to the lame and
tell them Of the joy that will make the
lame man leap like hart Gather all the
sheep of Of all the mountains. None 81
SO torn Of the dogs, none so sick, none 81
worried, none so dying as to be omitted
Why not gather great f1ocka All Brook
lyn in flock; all New York in a flock; al
the world in flock.
This well of the Gospel is deep enough
to put out the burning thirst of the 1900,
C00,O00 Of the race. Do not let the church
by a spirit of exclusiveness, keep tn,
world out. Let down all the bars, swins
open all the gates, scatter all the invita-
tions:
Whosoever will, let him come.
Come, white and black Come, red mar
Of the forest. Come, Laplander, out o
the snow. Come, Patagonian, out of the
heat. Come in furs. Come painting un
der palm leaves. Come one. Come all
Come now. As at this well of Mesopo
tamia, Jacob and Rachel were betrothed
70 this morning, at this well Of salvation
Christ our Shepherd will meet you com
ing up with your long flocks Of cares and
anxieties, and he will stretch out his HAND
in pledge of his affection, while al
Heaven will cry out:
Behold the bridegroom cometh; 60 We out t.
meet him.
You notice that this we'll Of Mes opo
tamia had stone on it, which
must be removed before the sheer
could be watered; and find on the wei
Of salvation to-day impediments and OBJ
stacles which must be removed in or
der that you may obtain the refres hment
and life of this gospel In your case the
impeachment is pride Of heart You cal
not bear to come to such democrati,
fountain; you do not want to come
with so many others. It is to you like
when you are dry coming to town pump
as compared to sitting in parlor slipping
out OF chased chalice which has jus,
been lifted from a silver salver. Not 81
many publicans and sinners. You wan
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